Dates
November 13–15
November 13–15 · Red Deer
November Weekend of Weaving
at Pioneer Lodge
A weekend of hands-on basketry workshops in willow, cattail, and other natural materials. Come for one workshop, a full day, or build your own weekend of weaving.
Location
Pioneer Lodge,
Red Deer
Workshops
Gentle beginner, beginner, and intermediate options.
Materials
Prepared natural materials and tools are included.
Seven Workshops · One Weekend
November Workshop Details
Each workshop is designed as a doorway into a particular material, technique, or basket form. All weaving materials and tools are provided. Choose the date and time that works for you, then use the registration button for that offering. Registrations are managed through Luma and payments are processed through Stripe.
Gentle Beginner
Cattail Berry Basket
$115
What if the rustling cattails that line the marshes could be coaxed into carrying your berries home?
Join us to find out, as we transform these green blades into a small vessel for gathering summer’s sweetest moments.
In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to weave cattails over a wooden form, practicing timeless techniques such as the checkerboard weave, pairing, and waling. Together, we will finish the basket with a simple trac border, creating a sturdy, beautiful basket made entirely from cattails.
Skills learned
- Preparing and handling cattail leaves
- Weaving over a wooden form
- Checkerboard weave and pairing
- Basic joins
- Finishing with a simple trac border
Workshop rhythm
4 hours · 3 hours guided instruction · 15-minute break for light snacks and tea
Beginner
Bird Feeder
$145
Craft a suet bird feeder from locally harvested willow. This workshop is perfect for anyone curious about weaving with natural materials who would like to begin with a simple project.
During this session, you will get to know willow and learn a foundational weave called pairing. Price includes a brick of high-quality suet so you can set it up as soon as you get home.
Skills learned
- How to select willow for different parts of a project
- Using a jig to hold a form while you weave
- Pairing
- Basic joins
- Trac border
- Creating a functional garden object
Workshop rhythm
2 hours · 15-minute break for light snacks and tea
Beginner
Wreath Making
$165
Spend the evening getting to know locally harvested willow through the simple, satisfying work of bending and binding rods into wreaths.
We will practice shaping, wrapping, and securing willow while learning how tension, angle, and pressure affect the finished form.
Workshop price includes enough willow to make 5 wreaths. We will create 2 together in the workshop, and you can bring the rest of your willow home to continue practicing.
For those hoping to weave a Butt Cheek Basket on Saturday, this workshop is also an opportunity to make a custom handle and rim for your basket.
Skills learned
- Getting to know locally harvested willow
- Bending rods into a balanced wreath form
- Using tension, angle, and pressure with intention
- Wrapping and securing willow cleanly
- Adjusting the design to make handles and hoops for baskets
Workshop rhythm
3 hours · 15-minute break for light snacks and tea
Beginner
Berry Boat
$145
There is something about willow that can only be understood through your hands: the way a rod bends, the scent released as you twist it into shape, and the gradual rhythm that develops as you weave. This workshop offers a few quiet hours to really get to know the material.
I love using this small willow tray to gather quick snacks from the garden. Its shallow, curved shape is especially well suited to berries. By holding the boat beneath a branch as I harvest, I can catch the fruit that falls as my hand brushes past.
In this beginner-friendly workshop, you will learn to shape the berry boat using a simple wooden jig, allowing its form to emerge naturally as you weave. We will also explore how to find and identify willow for harvesting, how to gather it responsibly, and how to dry, store, and prepare it for weaving.
After a short guided tutorial, you will settle into the rhythm of weaving and spend the remainder of the workshop filling in your boat — with time to complete a second boat if it permits. This is a gentle first project and a lovely introduction to working with willow.
Skills learned
- Single rod randing
- Working off a jig
- Ways to support willow and prevent snapping during tight bends
Workshop rhythm
4–5 hours · 1 hour guided instruction · 15-minute break for light snacks and tea
Intermediate
Butt Cheek Basket
$195
A melon basket, or “buttocks basket,” curves and rounds in all the right ways. Playful and practical, its form settles naturally against your hip as you wander.
We will explore how willow can be encouraged into fullness, learning the techniques that allow the form to dip, swell, and rise with intention. Watching slender rods become a rounded, sturdy vessel is one of the small joys of working with willow.
A beautiful everyday basket for wandering, gathering, and carrying what you love. If your basket grows especially cheeky, you may have a little homework to complete it.
If you are interested in creating a custom-shaped basket, join us Friday evening to make your own wreaths to use as the hoop and handle in your basket.
Skills learned
- Tying a God’s eye knot
- Encouraging willow into a rounded melon basket form
- Single rod randing
- Packing weave
- Using hoops to shape the dip, swell, and rise of the basket
Workshop rhythm
7 hours · 3 hours guided instruction · 1-hour break · includes light snacks and tea
Beginner
Tiny Willow Bowl
$115
Join us to weave a small willow bowl for your desk, entryway, bedside table, or wherever little things tend to gather.
Designed with first-time weavers in mind, this workshop will guide you through selecting, bending, and weaving willow rods as you create a useful bowl to take home.
Along the way, you will learn the foundational steps of weaving a basket base, begin to understand how willow behaves in your hands, and build the comfort and confidence to take on larger projects.
Skills learned
- How to select willow rods for your basket
- Tying a slath base
- Pairing
- Basic joins
- Twisted rope border
Workshop rhythm
3 hours · 15-minute break for light snacks and tea
Intermediate
Tiny Trug
$185
In this workshop, we will shape a tiny willow trug, a small basket made to cradle soft petals, fragrant herbs, and small gathered treasures.
This workshop is an invitation to slow down, work with your hands, and share in the quiet beauty of weaving with willow.
An approachable intermediate project for those ready to build confidence with willow while shaping a small, functional trug.
Skills learned
- How to use a weavers jig to hold your willow in place while you weave.
- Ways to support willow and prevent snapping during tight bends
- Basic Joins
- Attaching and tying a simple functional handle
Workshop rhythm
8 hours · 1-hour break · includes light snacks and tea
Gentle Beginner
Cattail, bulrush, willow bark — soft materials that bend where your hands take them. A good place to start.
Beginner
Approachable willow projects — short enough to finish without putting too much strain on your hands, long enough to learn the feel of the rod.
Intermediate
A full day that asks more of your hands and your focus — settle in and let the rhythm take hold.
November Schedule
Choose your weaving time
Overlapping workshops are shown side by side, so you can see which sessions happen at the same time.
Willow Cattail
Friday · November 13
Saturday · November 14
Sunday · November 15
What to Bring
- All weaving materials and tools are provided.
- A water bottle and any snacks you may need.
- Food for longer workshops, if you are staying through a break.
- Comfortable clothing for hands-on making.
Location & Arrival
Workshops take place at Pioneer Lodge in Red Deer, Alberta.
See location and practical details, including parking, what to bring, what to expect, and places to stay.
Get directions →Questions?
Email us anytime.
Policies
Children & Youth
Children over 12 are welcome in Gentle Beginner and Beginner workshops with a dedicated caregiver. Intermediate workshops are generally best suited to adults or older youth with some weaving experience.
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. Tickets are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, you may pass your ticket to a friend.
Waiver
A liability waiver is required for participation. Please review the liability waiver before registering.
Ready to weave in November?
Choose your workshop, save your spot, and spend the weekend weaving with natural materials.